Publisher's Summary

A widow in her mid-thirties, Alison has been in mourning for two years. She lives in West Virginia with her sister and brother-in-law, and they are urging her to get on with her life and move back home. Alison promises to leave, just as soon as she renovates a nearly ruined 1976 Corvette rusting in their garage. Problem is, she doesn't know the first thing about cars, and the townspeople, with the exception of a cute demolition man whose idea of a date is taking Alison with him to blow up a grain silo, are completely bewildered by a woman messing with automotive parts.

Alison's Automotive Repair Manual is the powerful story of a woman who must come to terms with her life and discover the strength to overcome her grief.

ALISON'S is both the repair manual of its title and a novel tracing repairs within and among characters. What lingers after reading it-- it's been more than a year since I finished it-- is the gentle affection for a wide range of quirky personalities, including an unforgettable expert in trivia who uses "little known facts" to negotiate relationships.